Sinead O’Connor has told how she fears people will copy Robin Williams and kill themselves.
The Mrs Doubtfire star was found dead at his home after struggling with depression and suffering from the early on-set of Parkinson’s.
But Sinead – who has suffered with mental illness in the past – worries that other people will now take their own lives due to the stigma around mental illness.
And the 47-year-old believes that a lot of it stems from the “notoriously abusive” coverage of females suffering from mental illness.
Fears: Sinead worries people will copy Robin
She said: “When males in the public eye have the same problems, they are treated much more compassionately.
“I’ve gone through that myself, and it’s very appalling. And that’s what leads to deaths. You would fear people will copy it.
“But it would be better if people would learn out of it why a man like that would be driven to that. Stigma is the most important reason why people actually go that far.
“When you admit that you are anything that could be mistakenly, or otherwise, perceived as ‘mentally ill’ you know that you are going to get treated like dirt.
“So you don’t go tell anybody and that’s why people die.”
Change: Sinead wants reporting of mental illness to change | VIPIRELAND.COM
Now Sinead hopes the Hollywood star’s death will help “get the conversation started” around mental illness – and lead to the Press being nicer to females suffering from mental illness.
“The coverage of well known females who have had mental illness, or who have suffered from depression, is notoriously abusive,” she told Sky News.
“I hope that one of the things that might come out of this is the coverage of female celebrities like Britney Spears and Amanda Bynes – other female celebrities who have had issue [might change].
“They get lynched in the street by photographers, they get mocked.
